CH3 Response - Weblogs Are as Easy as 1-2-3

After reading chapter 3 of Richardson's text on Weblogs, or BLOGS, I have even more confidence than before about my ability to effectively use and manage a blog. This is important for several reasons, and they're as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Ease - If I can do it, my students will be able to do it. Richardson even uses blogger.com as an example - which we're using here. The mechanics are intuitive and his advice on "keeping it simple" make a lot of sense. I'm finding with each post I'm getting better at the formatting, more creative with links and pictures, and smarter about the content. I see my students learning the same way.
2. Safety - Risks with blog use can be managed with smart precautions. Agreat example is given in Chapter 3 regarding the "Next Blog" button. Richardson gives me my first taste of HTML language and an easy way to put it to use to REMOVE the button! Most excellent - since the button could take one of my students (or me) to a random blog that might be inappropriate.
3. Edublogs are growing as a classroom tool. It was great to read (mostly in Ch.2) about the population of edublogs and to even get an example of a best practice or two. In checking out the AP Calculus site for a class last year http://apcalc07.blogspot.com/ it gave me some great ideas even though it's a year old. AND...for continuing best practices, I've bookmarked http://edublogawards.com/ and have a goal now to aspire to an award one day.

Happy blogging...